Chapter 240

"Sister Wu,"

Madam Chai was just about to bow, but was caught by Madam Wu.

"Sister Wu, I've troubled you to come over so early."

Princess Pingning said with full gratitude.

"Oh, what are you saying, Princess? I am very happy to be able to help. Liang Liu Lang, come, greet them."

"Liang Han greets the two elders; Madam, peace be with you; Princess, peace be with you."

"Good child, you really have grown into a fine young man."

"Han Ge'er is truly polite."

"Don't praise him anymore, or his tail will be wagging in the sky. Go find Heng Ge'er to play."

"Yes, Mother."

After Liang Han bowed to the three of them, he walked into the courtyard, and the servant at his side hurriedly followed.

After walking a dozen steps, Liang Han looked back and found that Madam Wu was facing away from him.

Liang Han took the flower pinned to his ear and threw it aside.

The servant at his side hurriedly said: "Young Master, this is what Madam..."

The rest of his words were glared back by Liang Han.

Arriving at the front hall for guests, Liang Han greeted Qi Heng:

"Heng Ge'er, it's been a long time. Why are you dressed so casually today?"

Qi Heng: "It's convenient for hosting guests."

Liang Han nodded.

At the second gate, Madam Bai of the Ningyuan Marquis Prefecture arrived with Pingmei, Tingye, and Tingyi, slightly later than Madam Wu.

"I was afraid Zhengzheng would be bored, so I specifically asked Aunt to bring Tingyi over first to keep Zhengzheng company."

Madam Bai bowed: "Princess, greetings."

Pingmei and the others behind Madam Bai followed suit and greeted them.

Madam Chai said: "For the sake of my family's affairs, I've troubled you, Madam, to come so early."

Madam Bai said: "We are all relatives; it is only right."

Looking at the Gu Tingye siblings, Madam Chai smiled and nodded.

After talking at the entrance for a while, Gu Tingye went to the front hall to find Qi Heng.

Gu Tingyi, however, brought her maid to the backyard, and at a glance, she saw the young lady sitting in the courtyard pavilion, whose age was not much different from her own.

Seeing someone enter the courtyard, Chai Zhengzheng stood up.

Gu Tingyi walked over, and after the two young ladies greeted each other, they both saw the appreciation in each other's eyes.

"You must be the Chai family sister, right? I am Gu Tingyi of the Ningyuan Marquis Prefecture!"

When the two were discussing their ages, Madam Bai and Pingmei at the second gate had also finished talking with Princess Pingning and came to the inner courtyard.

As the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law walked over, Tingyi hurriedly introduced them.

"This is my mother, and my sister-in-law. Mother, it turns out Zhengzheng is two months younger than me; I should call her Sister!"

Pingmei smiled as she watched Chai Zhengzheng return the greeting, and everyone sat down. Tingyi still enthusiastically introduced them:

"Sister, my sister-in-law's natal family is the Xu family of the Marquis Yongyi Prefecture."

Hearing this, Chai Zhengzheng's eyes widened slightly, and she felt that the tall, beautiful, and heroic Pingmei before her was very approachable.

Chai Zhengzheng talked with Gu Tingyi, but she couldn't help but glance at Pingmei a few times, wanting to find where Pingmei resembled Xu Zaijing, which made Pingmei have to respond with a smile from time to time.

"Sister Zhengzheng, why do you keep looking at my sister-in-law?"

Gu Tingyi asked, and Chai Zhengzheng said somewhat awkwardly:

"It's just... I feel that Sister Pingmei must be a gentle and kind person."

Hearing this, Madam Bai and Pingmei looked at each other and smiled. Chang Mama, who was serving a few steps away under the corridor, tilted her head and whispered to Qingxia in an extremely low voice:

"This young lady, hasn't she met our Ye Ge'er before?"

Looking at Qingxia's puzzled expression, Chang Mama continued: "Otherwise, why would she be so eager to get close to our Xu family's eldest daughter?"

Qingxia whispered in an extremely low voice: "Mama, are you saying this young lady is trying to curry favor with her future sister-in-law in advance?"

"Ye Ge'er is such a good child, who wouldn't like him?"

Qingzhi, who was beside them, stood in front of them with a tray, signaling that tea was being served.

One after another, the ladies of various families took their seats in the wide corridors and pavilions of the backyard.

And at the second gate, Madam Wu stood beside Princess Pingning and Madam Chai, and seeing the people walking over, she whispered:

"This one is my brother's direct superior, the wife of Minister Chen Xian of the Ministry of Revenue, and beside her is their fourth son, who likes mathematics and is never dissolute or playful."

As they were talking, the Chen family had already arrived. After the usual greetings, the Madam was invited into the backyard, and the second son went to the front hall.

"That is the Madam and the legitimate third son of the Lu family of Ling Guogong, cough."

Madam Wu didn't continue. Madam Chai and Princess Pingning looked at each other, understanding that apart from the offensive truth, there was nothing good to say.

"The fifth son of the second branch of the Han Guogong, who likes playing polo and is a regular at our polo field." Nothing else.

"The legitimate son of the second branch of the Wei family of the Fu'an Marquis, who loves playing with the fifth son of the Han family."

"The Funing Marquis..."

"The Xuanmen Marquis..."

"The Sha family of the Zhongshan Marquis, who are relatives of the second branch of the Han Guogong, and previously caused a huge disaster in the west of the city..."

In the gap between another wave of guests entering the courtyard,

Madam Chai held Madam Wu's hand and said gratefully: "Sigh, really, if it weren't for you, Sister, how would I know all this?"

As she spoke, she also looked gratefully at Princess Pingning.

Madam Wu patted Madam Chai's hand and said:

"I'm just moving my mouth. Look at you, Sister; if you are so polite again, I won't help anymore!"

Madam Chai smiled helplessly.

At this moment, Madam Wu's eyes lit up and she said:

"The wife of the British Duke has arrived, and behind her are the third and fourth sons, both good young men who strive for progress, and beside her is the youngest daughter of the Zhang family, the fifth daughter."

"Beside the Duke's wife is the Madam of the first branch of the Zheng family, and behind the Zheng family Madam are Zheng Xiao and Zheng Xiao's nephew."

When the British Duke's wife walked up to the three of them, Princess Pingning said with a smile:

"Madam, I have finally been looking forward to your arrival."

The dignified and solemn British Duke's wife smiled:

"I have troubled you, Princess."

As she spoke, she took Princess Pingning's hand with one hand and Madam Chai's hand with the other.

"Sister! What about me! Why don't you hold my hand?"

Listening to Madam Wu's words, the British Duke's wife teased:

"I can see you three times in these three days; there is nothing for me to hold with your hands!"

"Sister Zheng, then let's hold hands."

Madam Zheng was no longer as stern as usual, and smiled slightly as she shook hands with Madam Wu.

After the British Duke's wife asked Madam Chai if the journey had been smooth, she took the ladies into the backyard.

Watching the Zhang and Zheng family disciples go to the front courtyard, Madam Chai nodded.

After entering the backyard, the fifth daughter of the Zhang family saw Gu Tingyi waving at her, and after asking for permission from Madam Zhang, she ran over.

The Duke's wife behind her: "Mind your manners!"

The fifth daughter could only slow her pace.

After walking close to Gu Tingyi, the fifth daughter of the Li family, the eldest daughter of the Yu family, the young lady of the Lu family, and others nearby greeted her one after another.

Tingyi hurriedly introduced Chai Zhengzheng to the fifth daughter.

The fifth daughter greeted her with a smile and asked:

"Sister Chai, I heard that Cangzhou is the hometown of martial arts in the Great Zhou! Have you seen martial arts masters? Are there also many people who are very good at pitch-pot and polo?"

Looking at the lively fifth daughter of the Zhang family, Chai Zhengzheng smiled and said: "Hmm, masters..."

Her smile faltered slightly; there were many martial arts masters who had protected her before, but unfortunately...

Her smile bloomed again: "There are many masters!"

"Then I must see them when I have the chance. I wonder who is more powerful compared to the fifth brother of the Xu family! Why hasn't Sister Anmei come yet?"

Gu Tingyi on the side said: "Sister Anmei probably isn't coming, right?"

"Ah? Then wouldn't I be unable to 'cat-sniff'!"

Gu Tingyi looked at Chai Zhengzheng's puzzled expression and explained: "Sister Anmei of the Xu family, my sister-in-law's younger sister, has two extremely cute civet cats."

"Jing Ge'er always calls the act of Sister Anmei and the fifth daughter petting the civet cats 'cat-sniffing'."

Chai Zhengzheng blinked and said: "What a novel way of putting it."

Just as the young ladies were talking,

Suddenly, they saw a large group of ladies coming to the entrance.

Chai Zhengzheng looked at Gu Tingyi, but saw that Gu Tingyi's eyes seemed to brighten up, and she sat up straight.

"Sister Yi, what's wrong?"

Gu Tingyi smiled and said: "The masters are here!"

Chai Zhengzheng looked at the large group of ladies and asked: "Which family are they from?"

Gu Tingyi: "The ladies of the Feng family of the Cheng Guogong, the Kang family of the noble clan, and the Sheng family of the Tanhualang."

Chai Zhengzheng's enthusiasm suddenly waned, and she rested her cheek on one hand, whispering:

"Oh."

"Sister Hualan of the Sheng family, um, how should I put it... she is the second daughter-in-law of the Marquis Yongyi Prefecture! Yes!"

Chai Zhengzheng slowly sat up, her face full of curiosity:

"Oh!!!???"

(End of chapter)